50 double decker buses’ worth of food waste saved in three years
Round off this roundup is a brand that is proudly punting its Easter message.
Wonky and surplus food subscription service Earth & Wheat has saved 600 tons of food waste – the equivalent of 50 double decker buses in weight – in three years.
However, the brand is not resting on its laurels and to celebrate its 3rd anniversary has set a new target to ramp this up to 1,000 tons of food waste – typically destined for landfill – by the end of 2024.
Earth & Wheat works with independent bakeries to redistributing food that would have otherwise been thrown out due to size, shape or color that doesn’t conform to the strict standards in retail.
In fact, around 16% of all food waste in the UK occurs at the point at which it’s produced, according to Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP). This is the ‘waste’ that Earth & Wheat redistributes, because “no good food should go to waste,” said founder James Eid.
Eid, a 4th generation baker, started rescuing baked goods from his own family bakery in Dunstable, Hertfordshire, after witnessing the eyewatering amount of bread it was forced to throw out every day. He launched the world’s first ‘wonky bread box’ and sold 10,000 boxes in the first six weeks.
Earth & Wheat has grown exponentially since 2021 and now works with independent farms to help save veggies from going to waste, too, packed in wonky bread and veg boxes, along with selection of plant-based offerings.
“It has certainly been a whirlwind three years,” said Eid.
“Earth & Wheat started as just a concept and our mission was to reduce food waste from the point at which it is created and help save the planet.
“Three years on, it’s incredible to think that our efforts – thanks to the support of our wonderful wonky warrior customers – have resulted in us collectively being able to stop 600 tonnes of good food from going to waste.
“This is food that would have been thrown away even though there was absolutely nothing wrong with it and it still tastes delicious. It was just too big, too small or too odd-looking but through our mission, we’ve seen people change their mindset and the numbers we see sign up to our food waste rescue mission continue to grow.
“Now we want to try and rescue a total of 1,000 tonnes by the end of the year which we don’t think is too much to ask.”
Eid’s award-winning brand recently joined The King’s Coronation Food Project’s cause and donated 2,894 ‘meals’ to FareShare, which redistributed it to frontline charities.
I wonder if there’s a possibility here to redistribute any Easter goodies not sold…
